Automatic ornamental stitch sewing mechanisms



March 20, 1962 3,025,809

AUTOMATIC ORNAMENTAL STITCH SEWING MECHANISMS w. A. AYRES.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi1ed Jan. 2,-1959 viii INVENTOR. Waldemar A. Ayres WITNESS March 20, 1962- w. A. AYRES I 3,025,809

AUTOMATIC ORNAMENTAL STITCH SEWING MECHANISMS 4 S X zeets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan 2, 1959 INV ENT OR.

Waldemar A. Ayres wnmss v r BY w i Fig.6.

TTORNEY AUTOMATIC ORNAMENTAL STITCH SEWING MECHANISMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan 2, 1959 m T w M March 20, 1962 w. A. AYRES 3,025,809

AUTOMATIC ORNAMENTAL STITCH SEWING MECHANISMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 2, 1959 Fig. IB.

WITNESS United States Patent 3,025,809 AUTOMATIC ORNAMENTAL STITCH SEWING MECHANISMS Waldemar A. Ayres, Fort Lauderdale, Fla, assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N.J.,

a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 784,549 23 Claims. (Cl. 112-158) This invention relates to zigzag sewing mechanisms and, more particularly, to a novel mechanism for providing repeating patterns of ornamental zigzag stitching.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel mechanism for automatically controlling the width of zigzag stitching, which mechanism may be incorporated in either a work jogging attachment for use with a conventional straight stitching sewing machine, or as the control mechanism for lateral jogging of the needle bar of a zigzag sewing machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a zigzag stitching control mechanism in which an unlimited variety of repeating stitch patterns is obtainable merely by making simple easy adjustments of the mechanism.

An important object of this invention is to provide a visual means associated with the zigzag stitching control mechanism which will picture to the operator the stitch pattern which the control mechanism is adjusted to produce. This object comprehends a two-fold advantage in that the operator may adjust the control mechanism to make a picture of the stitch pattern which she desires and the mechanism of this invention will automatically produce that stitch pattern; or having adjusted the control mechanism in any other manner the visual means will at once indicate or verify the pattern of stitches which will result.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a series of pattern keys useful to the operator in adjusting the zigzag stitching control mechanism to produce the more popular or recurrent varieties of stitch patterns.

With the above and additional objects and advantages of this invention in view as will hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the devices, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which FIGS. 1-6 illustrate this invention as applied to a sewing machine in which the needle is jogged laterally to produce zigzag stitches, and FIGS. 7-13 illustrate an embodiment of this invention in a sewing machine attachment having a work jogging presser foot to produce zigzag stitches.

FIG. 1 represents a side elevational view of a sewing machine casing partly in vertical cross section and having this invention applied thereto,

FIG. 2 represents a top plan view of the mechanism of FIG. 1 with the sewing machine casing illustrated in horizontal cross section.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view staken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

- FIG. 7 represents a side elevational view of a work jogging attachment having this invention applied thereto.

FIG. 8 represents a top plan view of the attachment of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 represents a front elevational view of a portion of the attachment of FIG. 6 illustrating the visual representation of the stitch pattern which will be produced by the attachment. I

FIG. 10 represents a detached side elevational view 3,925,809 Patented Mar. 2%, 1962 of portions of the operating and control mechanisms of the attachment.

FIG. ll is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken beneath the attachment casing substantially along line 10 It of FIG. 6 illustrating the work jogging presser foot of the attachment.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 12-42 of FIG. 10, and

FIG. 13 represents a front elevational view of a portion of the attachment as illustrated in FIG. 9 and including a template for indicating the adjustments necessary to ready the attachment for the preparation of a predetermined pattern of zigzag stitches. 7

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate an adaptation of this invention to the needle jogging mechanism of a zigzag sewing machine. Indicated at 20 is the bracket arm head portion of a sewing machine casing having secured therein by a fastening screw 21, a fulcrum block 22 which is embraced by a pair of pintles 23 carried by a needle bar gate 24. The needle bar gate is guided for swinging movement about the pintles 23 by a guide finger 25 slidably confined in a slot '26 in the sewing machine casing. The sewing machine is provided with a feed dog 27 which may be actuated in any known manner through a work supporting plate 28' of the sewing machine in opposition to a presser foot 29 carried by a presser bar 30 journaled in the bracket arm head and biased downwardly. The feed dog 27 serves to define a principal direction of sewing which occurs perpendicular to the plane of the movement of the needle bar gate. A needle bar 31 journaled for endwise reciprocation in the needle bar gate carries at its lower extremity a needle clamp 32 and a needle 33. The needle bar is reciprocated endwise by an articulated driving link 34 which operatively connects a stud 35 carried on the needle bar with a crank pin 36 carried in a counterweighted crank member 37 fast on the sewing machine main shaft 38 journaled in the machine casing 20.

A novel feature of this invention is the provision of a means whereby the operator of the machine may prepare a visual representation or a picture of a stitch pattern that she desires to sew, the sewing machine then producing repetitively the depicted stitch pattern. Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, 40 indicates an opening or window formed in the sewing machine casing, through which are accessible "and visible a plurality of individually adjustable control elements 4ll each formed with an arm 42 provided on the free extremity with indicium 43 which may take the form of an inlay of contrasting color or the like. The arm 42 of each control element may be selectively adjusted to any position between the top and bottom edges of the window 4th. As a group, therefore, the indicia 43 provide a picture of a pattern of stitches. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the control elements have been arranged to depict an arrowhead pattern, the indicia 43 depicting the relative positions of successive needle penetrations necessary to produce the composite pattern of stitches which is illustrated.

The mechanism will now be described whereby any pattern or picture of stitches which is made of the iodide 43 will be produced by the sewing machine.

The control elements 41 are preferably made identical each to the other and are pivotally supported on a common bolt 44 extending between bearing lugs 45, 46 projecting inwardly from the sewing machine casing. The control elements are evenly spaced along the *bolt 44 and separated by spacing members 47 which embrace the bolt 44 and are locked against turning by a pin 48 extending between the lugs 45, 46. By virtue of the spacing members 47 each control member may be adjusted independently without frictionally engaging and disturbing the position of adjustment of adjacent control members.

. arate spring 88.

The bolt 44 is formed with a hexagonal head 49 set into a hexagonal opening in the bearing lug 46. At the other extremity, the bolt 44 is threaded and passes through a clearance aperture in the bearing lug 45. A clamp nut 50 on the bolt 44 serves as a means for clamping together the control elements 41 in selected position of adjustment. To lock and unlock the control elements, an operating arm 51 is secured in the clamp nut 50 and projects forwardly through a slot in the sewing machine casing for access to the machine operator.

Referring to FIG. 4, each control element 41 is formed with a body portion having substantially a sector shape, the upper edge 52 of which defines a cam surface for con trolling the extent of lateral vibration of the needle bar. The cam surface 52 and the arm 42 with the indicium 43 bear a fixed relation to each other such that the position of the arm and indicium 43 in the opening 40 provides an accurate indication of the position of the cam surface 52. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the cam surface 52 may be a straight planar surface which is disposed horizontally when the arm 42 is against the bottom edge of the opening 40 and which is increasingly inclined to the horizontal as the arm 42 is adjusted upwardly toward the top edge of the opening 40.

The mechanism for jogging the needle bar gate in a pattern as dictated by the control elements 41 is driven by a face cam 60 fast on the main shaft 38. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the face cam 60 is tracked by a roller follower 61 carried by a bell crank follower lever 62 fulcrumed in a lug 63 of the machine casing 20. The follower lever 62 is pivoted as at 64 to a reciprocating pawl carrier 65 arranged crosswise in the machine casing. A pawl 66 is pivoted on the pawl carrier and urged upwardly into operative position by a spring 67. The pawl 66 is formed with an arm 68 which overrides a throw-out lever 69' carried on a stud 70 journaled in the machine casing and provided exteriorly of the casing with a pointer knob 71 which may be turned to depress the pawl 66 into inoperative position. Depression of the pawl will deactivate the mechanism for producing a pattern of stitches such that jogging of the needle bar gate will cease and a straight line of stitches can be produced.

lournaled freely on the main shaft 38 is a cylindrical drum 72 formed with a plurality of radial driving arms 73 spaced axially along the drum and evenly spaced radially thereof. The radial driving arms preferably are equal in number to the number of control elements 41 and are arranged in a spiral fashion about the drum. A ratchet wheel 74 fast on the drum is preferably formed with teeth equal in number to the number of radial driving arms 73 and control elements 41. The ratchet wheel 74 cooperates with the pawl 66 and with the spring '75 for preventing retrograde motion so as to index the drum 7?. and the radial driving arms 73 in step-by-step fashion one increment during each endwise reciprocation of the needle.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, a rock shaft 80 is journaled in bearing lugs 81 at the opposite side of the drum 72 from the control elements 41. Fast on the rock shaft 80 is an oscillating frame 82 having a cross pin 33 above the rock shaft 80 and having beneath the rock shaft a pivotal connection 84 with an elongated lost motion slot 85 in the pawl carrier 65. Pivoted on the cross pin 83 are a plurality of links 86 biased downwardly in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 each by a sep- The links 86 are preferably equal in number to the number of radial driving arms 73 and as illustrated in FIG. 2, the links, driving arms, and control members are arranged such that one of each shares a common vertical plane. Each of the links 86 is formed with a depending lug 87 extending each into the path of motion of a respective one of said radial driving arms.

As the drum '72 is rotated in step-by-step fashion, therefore, the radial driving arms 73 will operate in seriatim to engage the depending lugs 87 of the links 86 and impart to one link during each reciprocation of the needle, a

motion to the left as viewed in FIG. 4, thus oscillating the frame 82 and the rock shaft in a counterclockwise direction. The oscillating motion of the pawl carrier 65 by virtue of the pin and slot connection 84, will, on the return stroke, oscillate the frame 82 and rock shaft 80 in a clockwise direction to return the frame and rock shaft to the position illustrated in FIG. 4 ready to be carried in a clockwise direction by the suceeding driving arm 73.

The extent of rocking motion imparted to the rock shaft 80 at each reciprocation of the needle is, therefore, dependent upon engagement of the lug 87 with the driving arm 73. Each link 86 bears upon and overrides the cam surface 52 of a respective one of the control elements 41 and will be cammed upwardly by the cam surface 52 to separate the driving engagement between the lug 87 and the driving arm 73. In the position of parts illustrated in FIG. 4 with the adjusting arm 42 of the control element 41 turned down against the lower edge of the opening 40, the cam surface 52 will be disposed substantially horizontally and a minimum of upward camming motion will be imparted to the link 86. The driving engagement between the radial driving arm 73 and the lug 87 will, therefore, continue for a maximum duration in this position of parts and a maximum oscillation of the rock shaft will occur. As the cam 42 is adjusted upwardly, and the inclination of the cam surface 52 with the horizontal increases, the link 86 will be cammed upwardly at an increasing rate thus decreasing the driving interval and reducing the amount of oscillatory motion imparted to the rock shaft 80. As the driving arms 73 become effective in seriatim to engage lugs 87 of the links 86 one during each endwise reciprocation of the needle, the rock shaft 80 will be oscillated in varying amounts depending directly upon the positions of adjustment of the control elements 41.

Mechanism is provided as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 for transmitting the variable oscillating motion of the rock shaft 80 to the needle bar gate 24 to influence the extent of lateral vibration of the gate in proportion to the extent of oscillation of the rock shaft. A crank 90 secured to the rock shaft 80 is connected by means of a crank pin 91 to a camming lever 92 arranged vertically within the machine casing. The camming lever 92 is slotted vertically as at 93 to embrace a fulcrum pin 94 carried by a bight adjusting lever 95 pivoted at 96 to a support lug 97 in the machine casing and extending through a slot 98 in the machine casing. A clamp nut 99 and a pointer 100 carried on the bight adjusting lever traverse an arcuate portion 101 of the sewing machine casing whereby the operator may selectively position the bight adjusting lever and clamp the lever in selected position. Above the fulcrum pin 94 and thus movable in proportion to the movement of the crank pin 91 in accordance' with the selected position of the fulcrum pin 94, the camming lever is formed with an inclined cam slot 102 which embraces a roller follower 103 carried by a substantially horizontal arm 104 formed on the needle bar gate 24.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the position of the arm 42 of each control element will depict by virtue of the indicium 43, the relative position of one needle penetration of a repeated pattern of zigzag stitches with respect to the other needle penetrations in the pattern. As a group, therefore, the indicia picture the entire pattern of stitches in proportional form and shape which will appear in the stitched product.

The variety of stitch patterns available to an operator is infinite since each control element is infinitely variable between its extreme positions. In order to be able to duplicate a predetermined pattern therefore, a pattern template or key is provided insertable in a pair of grooves 111 formed in the sewing machine casing one at each side of the window 40. The pattern template is formed with a plurality of stations 112 corresponding in position one to each of said control elements arms 42 and dimensioned with respect to locating ears 113 at the top of the template which seat against the top of the sewing machine casing to position the template, to provide separate locating surfaces one for each control element arm to define a predetermined position of adjustment for each arm which will yield a desired pattern of stitches. Pattern templates might preferably be used to provide a ready means for making the adjustments necessary to stitch certain of the more customary stitch patterns, although a pattern template may be made corresponding to any one of the infinite variety of stitch patterns possible with the mechanism of this invention.

FIGS. 7-13 illustrate an adaptation of the mechanism of this invention to a work jogging attachment for a sewing machine. The attachment which is of the type referred to in the art as Zigzag attachments may be applied to any straight stitching sewing machine having a presser bar 120, a needle bar 121 carrying a needle clamp 122 for securing a needle 123 thereto which needle bar reciprocates endwise in a fixed path, and a work feeding mechanism including, for instance, a feed dog 124 for determining a principal direction of sewing relatively to the needle.

The mechanism of the attachment is assembled in an attachment casing 125 having a flat bottom portion 126 and spaced upstanding side walls 127, 128. Secured to the side wall 127 of the attachment casing is block 129 formed to embrace the sewing machine presser bar and to be rigidly secured thereto by a fastening screw 130 in place of the usual presser foot.

Slidably adjustable in a horizontal undercut slot 131 formed in the block 129 is the enlarged head 132 of a bolt 133 which carries an angle bracket 134 which may be clamped in selected position along the slot 131 by a knurled nut 135 on the bolt 133, A fulcrum pin 136 carried by the angle bracket 134 is embraced in an elongated slot 137 formed in the shank portion 138 of a work engaging foot 139. The shank portion 138 which is thus slidably pivoted to the attachment casing is pivotally connected as at 140 to one arm of a bell crank lever 139 fulcrumed at 141 to an extension 142 of the bottom portion of the attachment casing. The angle bracket 134 thus provides for an adjustment of the bight or width of stitching by providing an adjustment of the position of the fulcrum pin 136 relatively to the work engaging foot and the pivotal connection 140 at which the work engaging foot is driven. The bight adjustment serves as a means for narrowing or broadening the pattern of stitches to be produced.

The side walls 127 and 128 of the attachment casing are formed at the front of the attachment with inturned front wall portions 143 which meet at the center of the attachment and together define a window or picture frame 144 within which is disposed the means for depicting a pattern of stitches to be produced.

Carried on a bolt 145 having a hexagonal head 146 embraced in a hexagonal aperture in the attachment casing side wall 127 and passing through a clearance aperture in the side wall 128 are a plurality of control elements 147 each preferably shaped alike as illustrated in FIG. including a sector shaped body portion formed with a cam surface 148 and an adjusting arm 149 the free end of which protrudes through the window 144 and is provided with indicium 150 such as an inlay or the like. The control elements 147 are preferably evenly spaced on the bolt 145 and separated by spacing members locked together by a pin 152 spanning the attachment casing side walls 127, 128 to prevent frictional interference between the individually adjustable control elements. A lock nut 153 having a handle 154 is threaded on the bolt 145 at the outside of the attachment casing side wall 128 to provide a means for locking the control elements together in selected positions of adjustment.

The mechanism for jogging the work engaging foot 139 in a pattern as dicta-ted by the control elements 147 is driven by the needle bar 121 of the sewing machine. An actuating lever fulcrumed on a screw 161 secured in the block 129 is bifurcated as at 162 and embraces the needle clamp 122 on the needle bar. The actuating lever 160 is formed with a slot 163 which embraces a pin 164 carried by a lever 165 fulcrumed on the screw 166 secured on the attachment casing side wall 127. By means of a pivot pin 167, the lever 165 is connected to a pawl carrier 168. Pivoted on the pawl carrier is a pawl 16 9 biased upwardly into operative position by a spring 170. A throwout lever 171 pivoted on the pawl carrier 168 overrides the pawl 169 and may be turned to depress the pawl into an inoperative position in which the automatic zigzag mechanism will be rendered inoperative and a. straight line of stitches will result.

Journaled transversely between the side walls 127 and 128 of the attachment casing is a drum 172 provided with a plurality of radial driving arms 173 one for each control element 147. The driving arms 173 are spaced axially of the drum each containing a plane common with one of the control elements, and the radial arms are evenly spaced radially about the drum in a spiral arrangement. Fast on the drum 172 outside the attachment casing side wall 127 is a ratchet wheel 174 which cooperates with the pawl 168 and with a spring 175 for preventing retrograde movement of the drum to turn the drum in step-by-step increments in one direction, one increment of movement during each reciprocation of the sewing machine needle bar. Preferably the ratchet wheel and pawl are constructed to impart the same number of increments of turning movement in one revolution of the drum as the number of control elements or radial arms. Secured to the drum and disposed outside the attachment casing side wall 128 is a handwheel 176 for manually indexing the drum. Indicium 177 on the handwheel serves to indicate a starting position of the drum which may be made to correspond in a given position to the position of parts in which the extreme left hand control element 147 in FIGS. 9 or 13 is effective so that the operator using the handwheel may be certain of starting a stitch pattern at a designated point in the pattern.

Referring to FIGS. 7, 8 and 10, a rock frame 180 is journaled for oscillatory movement freely on an axle 1 81 extending between rearward extensions 1'82, 183 of the attachment casing side walls 127 and 128 respectively. The rock frame includes a pair of cylindrical pins, a pin 1'84 carried above the axle 181 and a pin 185 carried be neath the axle. Pivoted on the pin 184 and biased downwardly by springs 186 are a plurality of links 187 equal in number to the number of radial driving arms 172, the links preferably being disposed each to share a vertical plane common with one radial driving arm 172 and one of the control elements 149. Each link 18 9 is formed with a depending lug 188 disposed in the path of motion of that driving arm 173 with which the link shares a plane. The links also each bear upon the cam surface 148 of a respective one of the control elements. The position of the cam surfaces 148 as reflected visually by the position of the arms 147 and the indicia 150 thereon will thus de termine the point at which each link 187 will be cam-med upwardly to carry the lug 188 out of driven relation with the radial driving arm 173, which as a consequence will determine the extent of oscillatory motion imparted to the rock frame 180 during each endwise reciprocation of the sewing machine needle.

The pin 185 of the rock frame extends into an elongated slot 189 of the pawl carrier 168 so that on each upstroke of the needle bar, the rock frame will be returned by the pawl carrier 167 to the position illustrated in FIG. 7.

The extent of rocking motion imparted to the rock frame 180 at each reciprocation of the needle is, there fore, dependent upon engagement of the lug 188 with the driving arm 173. Each link 187 bears upon and overrides the cam surface 148 of a respective one of the control elements 147 and will be cammed upwardly by the cam surface to separate the driving engagement between the lug 1% and the driving arm 173. In the position of parts illustrated in full lines in FIG. 10, with the adjusting arm 149 turned down against the lower edge of the window 144, the cam surface 143 will be disposed substantially horizontally and a minimum of upward cammi ug motion will be imparted to the link 187. The driving engagement between the lug 188 and the driving arm 173 will, therefore, continue for a maximum duration in this position of parts and a maximum oscillation of the rock frame 189 will occur. As the arm 149 is adjusted upwardly and the inclination of the cam surface 148 with the horizontal increases, as illustrated in the dashed line position of parts of FIG. 10, the link 187 will be cammed upwardly at an increasing rate thus decreasing the driving interval and reducing the amount of oscillatory motion imparted to the rock frame. As the driving arms 173 become effective in seriatim to engage the lugs 188 of the links 187 one during each endwise reciprocation of the needle, the rock frame 180 will be oscillated in varying amounts depending directly upon the positions of adjustment of the control elements 147.

Motion of the rock frame 180 is imparted to the work engaging presser foot 139 by means of the pin 185 which is carried for oscillation with the rock frame. Slidably mounted on the pin 185' is a block 190 formed with a depending pin 191 which is embraced in a boss 192 carried on the bell crank 141.

The variety of stitch patterns available to an operator is infinite since each control element is infinitely variable between its extreme positions. In order to be able to duplicate a predetermined pattern, therefore, a pattern template or key 216 is provided insertable in a pair of grooves 211 formed one in each of the attachment casing side walls 127, 128 one at each side of the window 144. The pattern template 210 is formed with a plurality of stations 212 corresponding in position one to each of the adjusting arms 149 and dimensioned with respect to loeating ears 213 at the top of the template which seat against the top of the attachment casing side walls 127 and 1228 to position the template, to provide separate locating surfaces one for each control element adjusting arm 149 to define a predetermined position of adjustment for each arm which will yield a desired pattern of stitches.

As described above, this invention provides in either an attachment to a sewing machine or in a mechanism built into a sewing machine, a means whereby a machine operator may draw a picture of a desired pattern of zigzag stitches and a mechanism whereby any depicted pattern will be stitched automatically by the sewing mechanism.

Having thus described the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. In a sewing mechanism for producing a pattern of stitches, a control means for predetermining a stitch pattern to be produced, said control means including a plurality of control elements arranged as a group, means supporting said control elements for adjustment each into a selected one of a range of positions, mechanism associated with each control element for influencing the configuration of a portion of the stitch pattern, to a degree in proportion to the selected position of adjustment of that control element relatively to said range of positions, and means associated with each control element and arranged with respect to said configuration influencing means to provide, as a group, a visual representation of the type of stitch pattern which will result from any arrangement of said control elements.

2. In a mechanism for sewing a work fabric having a needle and a means for effecting needle penetration of the Work fabric at various distances from a principal line of sewing thereon, a control means for determining a pattern of stitches of varying distance from said principal line of sewing, said control means including a plurality of control elements, means supporting said control elements for individual adjustment each a selected amount from a common initial position of adjustment, means associated with each control element for determining the distance from said principal line of sewing of a portion of the needle penetrations in a repetitive pattern in a direct proportion to the amount of adjustment of said control element from said common initial position of adjustment, and separate indicium associated with each of said control elements to provide as a group a visual representation of the relative position :of each needle penetration in the stitch pattern which will result from any arrangement of said control elements,

3. In a sewing mechanism for producing a pattern of stitches, a control means for determining a stitch pattern, said control means comprising a plurality of adjustable control elements arranged as a group, separate indicium associated with each of said control elements, means accessible to an operator for adjusting said control elements to arrange said indicia in any one of a multiplicity of visual patterns, and stitch configuration influencing means associated with each of said control elements and arranged with respect to said indicia for producing a pattern of stitches having whatever appearance is visually represented by the indicia as a group.

4. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory needle, and a work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing an ornamental pattern of stitches comprising, operating means for imparting movement laterally of the principal direction of sewing of said needle and said feeding means relatively to each other, means driven by said sewing machine for actuating said operating means once during each endwise reciprocation :of said needle, a plurality of individually adjustable control means for determining the extent of lateral movement of said needle and said feeding means relatively to each other imparted by said operating means, means for rendering said plurality of control means eifective in seriatim one during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said sewing machine, and means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a respective one of said adjustable control means.

5. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory needle, a presser foot, and a work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing a repetitive pattern of zigzag stitches comprising, operating means for imparting movement laterally of the principal direction of sewing of said needle and said presser foot relatively to each other, means driven by said sewing machine for actuating said operating means once during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of individually adjustable control means for determining the extent of lateral movement of said needle and said presser foot relatively to each other imparted by said operating means, and means for rendering said plurality of control means effective in seriatim one during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, means supporting said plurality of individually adjustable control means in a group, and separate indicium carried on each of said plurality of control means providing as a group a visual indication of the pattern of Zigzag stitches which will result in any arrangement of said control means.

6. In a sewing machine having an endwise recipro catory needle, a presser foot, and a work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing a repetitive pattern of zigzag stitches comprising, operating means for imparting movement laterally of the principal direction of sewing of said needle and said presser foot relatively to each other, means driven by said sewing machine for actuating said operating means once during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of individually adjustable control means for determining the extent of lateral movement of said needle and said presser foot relatively to each other imparted by said operating means, and means for rendering said plurality of control means effective in seriatim one during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, means supporting said plurality of individually adjustable control means in a group, adjusting arms carried one on each of said plurality of control means, and a template means formed with a plurality of locating surfaces corresponding one to each of said adjusting arms for indicating the relative position of adjustment for each of said adjusting arms to provide a predetermined pattern of zigzag stitching.

7. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory needle, a presser foot, and a work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing a repetitive pattern of zigzag stitches comprising, operating means for imparting movement laterally of the principal direction of sewing of said needle and said presser foot relatively to each other, means driven by said sewing machine for actuating said operating means once during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of individually adjustable control means for determining the extent of lateral movement of said needle and said presser foot relatively to each other imparted by said operating means, and means for rendering said plurality of control means effective in seriatim one during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said sewing machine, means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a respective one of said adjustable control means, and operator influenced means for locking said individually adjustable control means 'in selected position of adjustment relatively to said operating means.

8. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory needle, a presser foot, and work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing a repetitive pattern of zigzag stitches comprising, a plurality of operating means each arranged to move said needle and said presser foot laterally of said principal direction of sewing relatively to each other, means driven by said sewing machine for actuating said operating means in seriatim one during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of individually adjustable control means disposed each in operative relation with one of said operating means for controlling the extent of lateral movement of said needle and said presser foot relatively to one another effected by the operation of each respective operating means, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said sewing machine, and means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a respective one of said adjustable control means.

9. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocating needle, a presser foot, and work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing a repetitive pattern of zigzag stitches comprising, a shiftable member, means for supporting said shiftable member relatively to said sewing machine, means influenced by shifting of said member and operatively connected to move said needle and said presser foot laterally of said principal direction of sewing relatively to each other, a plurality of operating means for moving said shiftable member, means driven by said sewing machine for actuating said operating means in seriatim one during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of control means supported relatively to said operating means and disposed in operative relation each with one of said operating means for controlling the extent of movement of said shiftable member occasioned by the operation of each respective operating means, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said sewing machine, and means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a respective one of said adjustable control means.

10. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory needle, a presser foot, and work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing a repetitive pattern of zigzag stitches comprising, a shiftable member, means for shiftably supporting said member relatively to said sewing machine, means influenced by said shiftable member and operatively connected to move said needle and said presser foot laterally of said principal direction of sewing relatively to each other, a shaft, means for journaling said shaft relatively to said sewing machine, means driven by said sewing machine for imparting step-by-step increments of turning movement to said shaft in one direction of rotation one increment during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of drive means on said shaft equal in number to the number of increments of turning movement of said shaft in one revolution thereof, said drive means being disposed in spaced relation axially along said shaft and in evenly spaced angular relation thereon, means carried on said shiftable member for rendering each of said drive means effective to impart movement to said shiftable member in seriatim one drive means during each increment of movement of said shaft, a plurality of individually adjustable control means one corresponding to each of said drive means for controlling the motion imparted to the shiftable member by each of said drive means, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said sewing machine, and means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a respective one of said adjustable control means.

11. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory needle, a presser foot, and work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing a repetitive pattern of zigzag stitches comprising, a shiftable member, means for shiftably supporting said member relatively to said sewing machine, means influenced by said shiftable member and operatively connected to move said needle and said presser foot laterally of said principal direction of sewing relatively to each other, a shaft, means for journaling said shaft relatively to said sewing machine, means driven by said sewing machine for imparting step-by-step increments of turning movement to said shaft in one direc tion of rotation one increment during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of drive means on said shaft equal in number to the number of increments of turning movement of said shaft in one revolution thereof, said drive means being disposed in spaced relation axially along said shaft and in evenly spaced angular relation thereon, a plurality of connection elements carried on said shiftable member and disposed each in a plane of one of said drive means, interengageable means on said connection elements and on said drive means, said interengageable means on said connection elements and on said drive means coupling each connection element in seriatim for movement in response to movement of the drive of the means with which it is coplanar during one increment of turning movement of said shaft, a plurality of individually adjustable control means disposed each in a plane of one of said connection elements for determining the duration of interengagement of each connection element with its respective drive means, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said sewing machine, and means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a respective one of said adjustable control means.

12. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory needle, a presser foot, and a work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing a repetitive pattern of zigzag stitches comprising operating means for imparting movement laterally of the principal direction of sewing of said needle and said presser foot relatively to each other, means driven by said sewing machine for actuating said operating means once during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of individually adjustable control means for determining the extent of lateral movement of said needle and said presser foot relatively to each other imparted by said operating means, said control means including a plurality of identically shaped control elements, support means common to each of said plurality of control elements for supporting said control elements relatively to said operating means, stop means common to each of said plurality of control elements for defining a uniform range of adjustment of each of said control elements, indicating means carried by each of said plurality of control elements for providing a visual representation of the position of adjustment of each control element relatively to said common stop means and relatively to each other, and means for rendering said plurality of control means effective in seriatim one during each endwise reciprocation of said needle.

13. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory needle, a presser foot, and a work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing a repetitive pattern of zigzag stitches comprising operating means for imparting movement laterally of the principal direction of sewing of said needle and said presser foot relatively to each other, means driven by said sewing machine for actuating said operating means once during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of individually adjustable control means for determining the extent of lateral movement of said needle and said presser foot relatively to each other imparted by said operating means, said control means including a plurality of identically shaped control elements, support means common to each of said plurality of control elements for supporting said control elements relatively to said operating means and in evenly spaced linear arrangement with each other, substantially parallel stop means common to each of said plurality of control elements for defining therebetween a uniform range of adjustment of each of said control elements, operator influenced means on each of said control elements movable between said parallel stop means for selectively adjusting the position of said control elements, indicia carried by each of said operator influenced means for providing a visual representation of the position of adjustment of said control elements relatively to said stop means and relatively to each other, and means for rendering said plurality of control means effective in seriatim one during each endwise reciprocation of said needle.

14. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocating needle, a presser foot, and work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing a repetitive pattern of zigzag stitches comprising, a shiftable member, means for supporting said shiftable member relatively to said sewing machine, means influenced by shifting of said member and operatively connected to move said needle and said presser foot laterally of said principal direction of sewing relatively to each other, a plurality of substantially parallel links, mean for pivoting each of said links to said shiftable member, drive means, means for supporting said drive means relatively to said sewing machine and adjacent to said plurality of parallel links, means driven by said sewing machine for moving said drive means relatively to said shiftable member once during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, means for effecting an operative connection between said drive means and said plurality of links in seriatim one link during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of individually adjustable control cams, means for supporting said control cams each for oper-ative engagement with one of said links, said control cams each being formed with a cam surface effective to separate the operative connection between the drive means and the link with which said control cam is in operative engagement in response to movement of said link by said drive-means.

l5. In a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocating needle, a presser foot, and work feeding means for determining a principal direction of sewing, means for automatically sewing a repetitive pattern of zigzag stitches comprising, a swinging frame, means pivotally supporting said frame for oscillation relatively to said sewing machine, means for transmitting oscillating motion of said frame into motion laterally of the principal direction of sewing of said needle and said presser foot relatively to each other, a plurality of substantially parallel links, means pivoting said links on a common axis to said swinging frame, a shaft, means for journaling said shaft relatively to said sewing machine on an axis extending transversely beneath said plurality of links, a plurality of radial arms carried on said shaft one for each of said plurality of links, said radial arms being disposed in spaced relation axially of said shaft each radial arm in a plane common to one of said links and in evenly spaced angular relation about said shaft, means driven by said sewing machine for imparting step-by-step increments of turning movement to said shaft one increment during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, means on each of said links for operative engagement during one increment of motion of said shaft with that radial arm with which each link shares a common plane for transmitting motion of said radial arms in seriatim to said swinging frame, and a plurality of individually adjustable control cams, means for supponting said control cams on a common pivotal axis relatively to said sewing machine with each control cam disposed in a plane common to one of said links, each of said control cams being formed with a cam surface disposed in engagement with the link with which the control cam shares a common plane the inclination of which cam surface may be selectively varied by adjustment of said control cam to influence the extent of motion of said radial arm imparted to said link.

16. A zigzag attachment for a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory needle, said attachment including a casing, means for securing said casing to said sewing machine, a Work engaging presser foot, means shiftably supporting said presser foot on said casing, and means for automatically shifting said presser foot relative to the path of endwise reciprocation of said sewing machine needle, said last named means comprising operating means carried by said attachment casing, means operatively connecting said operating means with said presser foot for imparting movement to said presser foot relatively to the path of endwise reciprocation of said sewing machine needle, actuating means carried bysaid attachment casing and adapted to be driven by said sewing machine for actuating said operating means once during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of individually adjustable control means carried by said attachment casing and disposed in operative relation with said operating means for determining the extent of presser foot movement imparted by said operating means, means for rendering said plurality of control means effective in seriatim one during each reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said attachment casing, and means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a respective one of said adjustable control means.

17. A zigzag attachment for a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocating needle, said attachment including a casing, means for securing said casing to said sewing machine, a work engaging presser foot, means shiftably supporting said presser foot'on said casing, and means for automatically shifting said presser foot relatively to the path of endwise reciprocation of said sewing machine needle, said last named means comprising operating means carried by said attachment casing, means operatively connecting said operating means with said presser foot for imparting movement to said presser foot relatively to the path of endwise reciprocation of said sewing machine needle, actuating means carried by said attachment casing and adapted to be driven by said sewing machine for actuating said operating means once during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of individually adjustable control means carried by said attachment casing and disposed in operative relation with said operating means for determining the extent of presser foot movement imparted by said operating means, and means for rendering said plurality of control means effective in seriatim one during each reciprocation of said needle, means supporting said plurality of adjustable control means in a group, said attachment casing formed with an opening exposing said group of control means to the view of an operator, and separate indicium carried on each of said plurality of control means providing as a group a visual indication of the pattern of zigzag stitches which will result.

18. A zigzag attachment for a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory needle, said attachment including a casing, means for securing said casing to said sewing machine, a work engaging presser foot, means shiftably supporting said presser foot on said casing, and means for automatically shifting said presser foot relatively to the path of endwise reciprocation of said sewing machine needle, said last named means comprising a plurality of operating means carried by said attachment casing, means operatively connecting each of said operating means with said presser foot for imparting movement to said presser foot relatively to the path of endwise reciprocation of said sewing machine needle, actuating means carried on said attachment casing and adapted to be driven by said sewing machine for actuating said operating means in seriatim one during each endwise reciprocation of said needle, a plurality of individually adjustable control means carried by said attachment casing and disposed each in operative relation with one of said operating means for controlling the extent of movement of said presser foot relatively to the path of endwise reciprocation of said sewing machine needle eflected by the operation of each respective operating means, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said attachment casing, and means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a respective one of said adjustable control means.

19. A zigzag attachment for a sewing machine having an endwise reciprocatory needle, said attachment including a casing, means for securing said casing to said sewing machine, a work engaging presser foot, means shiftably supporting said presser foot on said casing, and means for automatically shifting said presser foot relatively to the path of endwise reciprocation of said sewing machine needle, said last named means comprising, a shiftable member, means for shiftably supporting said member on said attachment casing, means influenced by said shiftable member, and operatively connected to said presser foot to move said presser foot relatively to the path of endwise reciprocation of said sewing machine needle, a shaft, means for journaling said shaft in said attachment casing, actuating means carried on said attachment casing and adapted to be driven by said sewing machine for imparting step-by-step increments of turning movement to said shaft in one direction of rotation one increment during each endwise reciprocation of said sewing machine needle, a plurality of drive means on said shaft equal in number to the number of increments of turning movement of said shaft in one revolution thereof, said drive means being disposed in spaced relation axially along said shaft and in evenly spaced angular relation thereon, means carried on said shiftable member for rendering each of said drive means effective to impart movement to said shiftable member in seriatim one drive means during each increment of movement of said shaft, a plurality of individually adjustable control means carried by said attachment casing, one corresponding to each of said drive means, for controlling the motion imparted to said shiftable member by each of said drive means, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said attachment casing, and means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a respective one of said adjustable control means.

20. In a sewing machine having a casing, a needle bar gate, means shiftably supporting said needle bar gate in said sewing machine casing, a needle bar journaled for endwise reciprocation in said needle bar gate, and means carried in said sewing machine casing for reciprocating said needle bar endwise in said needle bar gate, mechanism for shifting said needle bar gate to produce repetitive patterns of zigzag stitches comprising, operating means carried in said sewing machine casing, means operatively connecting said operating means with said needle bar gate for imparting movement to said needle bar gate, actuating means carried by said sewing machine casing and driven by said means for reciprocating said needle bar for actuating said operating means once during each endwise reciprocation of said needle bar, a plurality of individually adjustable control means carried by said sewing machine casing and disposed in operative relation with said operating means for determining the extent of needle bar gate movement imparted by said operating means, means for rendering said plurality of control means effective in seriatim one during each reciprocation of said needle bar, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said sewing machine, and means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a re spective one of said adjustable control means.

21. In a sewing machine having a casing, a needle bar gate, means shiftably supporting said needle bar gate in said sewing machine casing, a needle bar journaled for endwise reciprocation in said needle bar gate, and means carried in said sewing machine casing for reciprocating said needle bar endwise in said needle bar gate, mechanism for shifting said needle bar gate to produce repetitive patterns of zigzag stitches comprising, operating means carried in said sewing machine casing, means operatively connecting said operating means with said needle bar gate for imparting movement to said needle bar gate, actuating means carried by said sewing machine casing and driven by said means for reciprocating said needle bar for actuating said operating means once during each endwise reciprocation of said needle bar, a plurality of individually adjustable control means carried by said sewing machine casing and disposed in operative relation with said operating means for determining the extent of needle bar gate movement imparted by said operating means, and means for rendering said plurality of control means effective in seriatim one during each reciprocation of said needle bar, means supporting said plurality of adjustable control means in a group, said sewing machine frame being formed with an opening exposing said group of control means to the view of a machine operator, and separate indicium carried on each of said control means providing as a group a visual indication of the pattern of zigzag stitches which will result.

22. In a sewing machine having a casing, a needle bar gate, means shiftably supporting said needle bar gate in said sewing machine casing, a needle bar journaled for endwise reciprocation in said needle bar gate, and means carried in said sewing machine casing for reciprocating said needle bar endwise in said needle bar gate, mechanism for shifting said needle bar gate to produce repetitive patterns of zigzag stitches comprising, a plurality of operating means carried by said sewing machine casing, means operatively connecting each of said operating means with said needle bar gate for imparting movement to said needle bar gate, actuating means carried in said sewing machine casing and operated by said needle bar reciprocating means for driving said operating means in seriatim one during each endwise reciprocation of said needle bar, a plurality of individually adjustable control means carried by said sewing machine casing and disposed each in operative relation with one of 15 said operating means for controlling the extent of movement of said needle bar gate effected by the operation of each respective operating means, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said sewing machine, and means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a respective one of said adjustable control means.

23. In a sewing machine having a casing, a needle bar gate, means shiftably supporting said needle bar gate in said sewing machine casing, a needle bar journaled for endwise reciprocation in said needle bar gate, and means carried in said sewing machine casing for reciprocating said needle bar endwise in said needle bar gate, mechanism for shifting said needle bar gate to produce repetitive patterns of zigzag stitches comprising, a shiftable member, means shiftably supporting said shiftable member in said sewing machine casing, means influenced by said shiftable member and operatively connected to the needle bar gate to move said needle bar gate, a shaft, means journalling said shaft in said sewing machine casing, actuating means carried by said sewing machine casing and driven by said needle bar reciprocating means for imparting step-by-step increments of turning movement to said shaft in one direction of rotation one increment during each endwise reciprocation of said needle bar, a plurality of drive means on said shaft equal in number to the number of increments of turning movement of said shaft in one revolution thereof, said drive means being disposed in spaced relation axially along said shaft and in evenly spaced angular relation thereon, means carried on said shiftable member for rendering each of said drive means effective to impart movement to said shiftable member in seriatim one drive means during each increment of movement of said shaft, a plurality of individually adjustable control means carried by said sewing machine casing, one corresponding to each of said drive means, for controlling the motion imparted to said shiftable member by each of said drive means, a plurality of separate operator influenced adjusting means carried by said sewing machine, and means operatively connecting said operator influenced means each to a respective one of said adjustable control means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,038,675 Ray Apr. 28, 1936 2,050,039 Campbell et al Aug. 4, 1936 2,788,757 Enos Apr. 16, 1957 2,810,360 Perla Oct. 22, 1957 2,854,935 Benink et a1. Oct. 7, 1958 2,900,837 Brandt Aug. 25, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,147,123 France June 3, 1957 219,620 Australia Feb. 27, 1958 

